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Engaging Online Videos and Lessons Available to Help Youth Say YES to a Healthy Lifestyle and NO to Underage Drinking

Washington, D.C. (PRWEB)November 16, 2016

The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) today launches a comprehensive, seven-part animated series and corresponding lesson plans designed to teach kids about the negative effects of alcohol on the developing brain. The completely free and first-of-its-kind alcohol education tool is being released through Responsibility.org’s proven alcohol education program, Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix.

From 2003 to 2015, underage drinking declined 51 percent (Monitoring the Future report 2015)—while conversations about underage drinking between parents and their kids increased 69 percent (Responsibility.org, August 2016). Although underage drinking is at record lows, it is still a problem that needs to be addressed.

Ask, Listen, Learn’s new science-based content aligns with National Health Education Standards, Common Core State Standards, and Next Generation Science Standards, ensuring the tools connect with curriculum teachers are already using. This alignment also ensures the resources can be used in multiple classroom settings, such as science and health classes. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reviewed the program content and found it to be consistent with currently available science.

“The more engaged kids are, the more likely they are to bring the conversation about the negative consequences of underage drinking home to their parents, who are the leading influence in their decisions to drink – or not to drink – alcohol” said Ralph Blackman, president and CEO of Responsibility.org.

In addition to the animated videos and lesson plans, the new content includes interactive classroom activities, vocabulary exercises, comprehension questions, a facilitator’s guide and a sample letter to parents. All materials are free and ready to download through AskListenLearn.org—creating a one-stop-shop for all resources. Additionally, these tools support school counselors’ and school nurses’ efforts to help students make healthy decisions.

The resources have been reviewed in partnership with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) and tested by focus groups comprised of middle school teachers and middle school-aged youth.

“School counselors are not only focused on the academic success of their students, but also on their social and emotional well-being and character growth,” said Jill Cook, Assistant Director of ASCA. “Ask, Listen, Learn equips educators and school counselors with all the tools they need to talk with students about underage drinking. The positive message focusing on prevention and living a healthy lifestyle is key, and I am excited for school counselors to utilize this material.”

“As a member of Responsibility.org’s National Advisory Board and former Administrator of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), I believe these materials will be a tremendous support to parents and teachers,” said Charles Curie. “They will help them have hard conversations with middle school youth at their level of understanding and with materials they find most engaging.”

Since its inception more than a decade ago, the Ask, Listen, Learn program has reached 22 million parents, kids, and teachers. To learn more about Ask, Listen, Learn and these new resources, visit http://asklistenlearn.org/.

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About Ask, Listen, Learn
Developed in 2003 by a team of educators and prevention experts specializing in middle school-aged students, Ask, Listen, Learn is the most widely distributed alcohol education program for middle school kids, teachers and parents. Visiting Asklistenlearn.org, kids can play games, read about positive role models and take a pledge to make healthy choices. Parents and educators are also encouraged to visit the site for tips on how to initiate conversations with kids about underage drinking. Ask, Listen, Learn is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. Follow our social media accounts here.

About the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility
The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) is a national not-for-profit that leads the fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking and is funded by the following distillers: Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.; Beam Suntory Inc.; Brown-Forman; Constellation Brands, Inc.; DIAGEO; Edrington; Hood River Distillers, Inc.; and Pernod Ricard USA. Recognizing 25 years of impact, Responsibility.org has transformed countless lives through programs that bring individuals, families and communities together to guide a lifetime of conversations around alcohol responsibility and offering proven strategies to stop impaired driving. To learn more, please visit us at http://www.responsibility.org.